Mayor Eric Adams warned New Yorkers against the “dangerously high levels of wildfire smoke” that were choking the city and metro area Wednesday – and cautioned residents to wear masks outside and prioritize remaining indoors with their windows shut.
“This is something that has never impacted [the city] on this scale before,” Adams said at a press conference Wednesday morning.
“We had dangerously high levels of wildfire smoke from thousands of miles away.. from the gloom over Yankee Stadium to the smoky haze obscuring the skyline…we could see it, we could smell it and we felt it.”
Adams cautioned residents to remain inside with air conditioning “to the greatest extent possible,” and to wear masks if they needed to venture outside.
“This is not the day to train for a marathon or do an outside event with your children,” he said.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) peaked at an unprecedented 218 Tuesday, and Adams subsequently confirmed that the AQI in The Bronx was 174 on Wednesday morning.
It is expected to remain dangerously high through Thursday.
Zach Iscol, Commissioner of NYC Emergency Management, explained at the presser with Adams that an AQI over 100 is normal for this time of year, due to pollen and other factors.
“We knew we had a problem once we went above 150, that’s when we convened [on Tuesday],” he said.
City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan added that older adults and those with chronic medical conditions or compromised immune systems are at an especially high risk.
“Avoid going outside unless you absolutely have to. For people who must be outdoors, a high quality mask like an N 95, a KN 95 Or a KF 94 is recommended for doctors and providers seeing patients in their clinics and hospital,” he said.
“It may get better in the next several days but this is a multi day event.”
Thus far, Vasan confirmed, there has been no increase in ER visits at city hospitals due to the conditions.
Dr. Michael Katz, the CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, noted that Tuesday’s AQI deterioration took place later in the day, “when most people were already home.”
He noted that Wednesday is a greater concern given that people are now back on the streets and at work.
Earlier on Wednesday, New York City public schools suspended outdoor activities for the day.
Schools will remain in touch with parents regarding potential closures on Thursday, Dept. of Education Chancellor David Banks told reporters.
Adams’ press conference came shortly after New York’s air quality became the second worst in the world as the ominous orange smog from fires in near Quebec, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia continue to settle over the region.
Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statewide Air Quality Health Advisory shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Both Adams and Vasan said that severe air quality events could become more commonplace in New York City due to climate change.
“Climate change is accelerating these conditions,” Adams said.
“There’s no blueprint…for these types of issues…there is no planning for an incident like this.”
Adams also praised his “fast-moving” team for their response to the “unprecedented” situation.
“There were no late notifications [on Tuesday],” he insisted.
“This is a new universe that we’re in,” Adams continued, noting that city leadership may have to start encouraging people to use public transportation and keeping N 95 masks on hand as poor air quality becomes more common.